Raising Heck

Look at Jesus

2012-01-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

— Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)

Have you ever wished you knew what God the Father was like? You know, how, what, and who He loves? Whether or not he really loves, or even likes you? I have.

I have found myself several times in my life wondering what God thought of me. I have, at times, doubted his love for me. How could he love someone like me? I am a mess, a wreck, a wretch. There is just one problem with thinking about God in this light: The Bible.

All we need to do is look at what the Gospel teaches us about ourselves and about God's love for us. As I read the passage above, the thing that struck me is the reality that if we want to know what God is like, if we want to know what, who, and how he loves us, then all we need to do is look to Jesus.

In Jesus we see just how much God loves us. YOU are Loved. Did you know that? Look at who Jesus went to in the Gospels. It was the lost, broken, and rejected. Jesus went to the failures, the ones who knew how screwed up they were, and he offered them Grace. FREE and AMAZING GRACE. This amazes me and causes me to worship God.

How about you? Have you looked at Jesus lately?

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T07:44:00.001-08:00

It's Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T12:32:00.000-08:00

This is SO GOOD! It's my new favorite Christmas song and video. It's Dustin Kensrue's new one. Enjoy.

And this one is just for fun. Enjoy.

The Elisha Foundation

2011-11-15T11:06:00.001-08:00

Let me tell you something about our family. Our family has a big heart for children with "special needs" and the families who love and raise them. There is something so wonderful -- so intrinsically beautiful and innocent -- about a child with special needs. I could go on and on about this, but I will save that for a later date.

For now, I want to highlight an amazing ministry, The Elisha Foundation (TEF), out of Bend, OR. TEF is a non-profit organization serving children and families dealing with special needs. This is a video that talks a little bit about their heart and they do. I encourage you to check it out. Enjoy.

I Am Weak.

2011-11-11T18:33:00.001-08:00

Days like this remind me of how extremely wicked, selfish, broken, and in need of God's grace I truly am. I am not even close to the man, the husband, or the father I want to be.

Thank you, Jesus, for loving me even though I am unloving and unlovable. I am humbled and broken.

I get angry, frustrated, and bitter towards the people I love all to quickly . . . and it makes me sick. I want to be, and hope to be, and cry out to be a better man. Not because I should be . . . but because it breaks my heart that I am not. Jesus has loved me so ridiculously and, yet, my love is weak and does not reflect the grace I have been shown.

Thank you, Jesus, for loving me even though I am unloving and unlovable. Please teach me and overwhelm me with your Grace.

Dinner Is Served

2011-11-10T19:59:00.001-08:00

The Heck House has been cooking Dairy Free for about four years now. Eli and Wyatt both can not tolerate having any dairy (this includes butter, cheese, etc. most people forget those little things). When they have dairy their skin gets rashes, their stomachs hurt, and they turn into the whiniest little monsters you ever did not care to meet in your life.

Over the last few months, though, we have decided to take out wheat and gluten as well. We are still have some issues Eli's body, so we have been researching different diets and adding things in.

In the past, Taneesha and I have continued to eat dairy even though the two boys cannot. Recently, though, we have been noticing a lot of our own issues regarding our diet. In light of this, as well as trying to build healthier lifestyles, we are all, as a family, committing to eating well. We are slowing adding in only dairy, wheat, and gluten free foods and drinks. This is not easy, but it is also not as hard to do as you think. We have been able to find a lot of foods we can eat that are still, surprisingly, amazing tasting!

This was tonights main attraction: Chicken Breasts with Cherries and Kale. This was super good and super quick and easy! We got the recipe from a website called Elana's Pantry, which has become a wonderful resource for our family. The recipes or EASY and taste AMAZING.

Some may be wondering what our kids think about all of this. Surprisingly, they are doing really well with it and have been eating and enjoying most everything we have made so far.

This will be hard, we know, but we are trying to be intentional about how we live and what we eat and what we teach our kids in doing this. We see that changes need to be made in our lifestyles and our diets. This is just one step closer to reflecting good stewardship of our bodies and health. We want to WORSHIP Jesus in all we do. Even in how and what we eat.

Emma Love

2011-11-09T17:42:00.001-08:00

Two months old today. It goes by so fast.

Tonight's Accompaniment

2011-11-09T16:17:00.001-08:00

This is a very nice, full, and smooth chocolate porter.

A New Song by Mumford & Sons

2011-11-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

Check out the new song: “Ghosts” by Mumford and Sons:

Reformation Day & Halloween Festivities

2011-10-31T21:44:00.000-07:00

One thing that is nice about being in Oregon is that we get to experience a truly Fall season. In California, on the Central Coast, we experienced this season in theory, but never quite in actuality. There is just not enough trees back home. All of that to say, we enjoy celebrating our Fall holidays in the Heck House. Though we don't really get all into the whole Halloween thing, we do like to redeem the parts of this time that we can (here is a good article on the topic of Christians and Halloween if you wish to check it out). We also like to include a little shout out to our Reformation forefathers. The pictures that follow are a display of a little bit it the Heck House Festivities.

Let the carving of the guts begin.

Dad, cutting the tops off of our of our pumpkins so the Punks can get to the guts.

(We like to enjoy the roasted seeds)

Lukas' creation

Wyatt's creation (okay...so he needed a little help)

Eli's creation

The Reformation Celebration!

Charles Spurgeon

Martin Luther

Jonathan Edwards

The Reformationists!

(Maybe we should start a band?)

Mission St. Brown Ale

2011-10-29T17:55:00.001-07:00

This is a beer that is brewed back where I am from in CA. This one is going to be my dinner accompaniment.

Graceyn, the Sleeping Angel

2011-10-29T17:22:00.001-07:00

Here is Graceyn; she fell asleep while holding tightly to the sacred Costco receipt. The privilege of being the one to hand the Costco receipt to the attendant as we are exiting the building is one that is highly sought after in our family Graceyn was proud to be the one granted the opportunity this morning. She held her receipt with the little pink heart on it with pride. Then, she continued to grasp it tightly as she fell asleep on the way home.

Kids are awesome.

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words

2011-10-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

This boy is one happy camper. How can you look at him and not smile? Oh yeah, and he has Down Syndrome.

Kids Are Awesome

2011-10-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

There are times, and this was one of them, that I really enjoy being a dad.

Eli and Graceyn enjoying a good book.

Miss Graceyn on a Fall Day

2011-10-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Smile!

No....with your eyes open, silly girl.

A Walk In the Park

2011-10-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

The other day we are all able to get out and go for a walk to the park. I love it when we get a chance to hang out together as a family. Enjoy.

The boys, showing off their mini-gourds.

All snug and ready to go.

Pink little diaper booty.

Peek-a-Boo!

Pre-Fall Weather

2011-10-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

We are in full Fall weather. It is getting colder and colder each day. These pictures, however, where taken before the cold weather settled in. These are some pictures of Graceyn and Wyatt playing together in the backyard. They are getting so big so fast. Enjoy.

Sisters

2011-10-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

When we found out that Emma Love was, in fact, going to be a girl we were very excited. We wanted, in light of the previous situation (3 older brothers), Graceyn to have a sister. I had a brother growing up and that was fun for me. Taneesha, though, only had a brother and always wished she could have had a sister too. There just seems to be a special bond that sisters have, and we wanted that for Graceyn.

Now that Emma is here, we can already see how much fun they are going to have together. I (we) look forward to seeing them grow up together and to get closer to one another. They will need to bond together if they are ever going to have a chance to hold their own with their 3 brothers in the house.

Here is a few pictures of the little girlies hanging out together.

Can you spot the real baby?

Smile!

Fun With Tents

2011-10-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

So, the other day it was raining so I decided to get out the littler kids' tent for them to play in. I figured Wyatt and Graceyn would think it was fun. After setting it up, I went into the kitchen to start getting lunch ready. A few minutes later I heard them all laughing and talking together and thought I would peek in to see what was up. This is what I saw:

Here it is . . . the tiny little tent.

Here they are . . . four of them . . . crammed into the little tent.

If you are wondering, Lukas has the doll because he was holding it for Graceyn while she was drinking her Rice Milk.

The kids crack me up.

A Subversive Idolatry

2011-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

I finally have some time to finish up some old thoughts and post them on here. This post is one I started back in April. I figured I might as well put it up instead of keeping it as a draft. Here it is:

In our community group we are going through a video series on marriage. The main point of the curriculum sees to be pointing out that wives have a deep need to feel loved, and husbands have a deep need to feel respected. The funny part is that, in regards to most of what the speaker says and asserts, Taneesha and I are backwards in our roles. Apparently, most often, according to the speaker, I see and hear the world through a pink filter, while my Taneesha sees and hears through a blue filter. Interesting . . . perhaps I should worry? I think not. I can speak to that another time.

The speaker's main message is that when a man speaks or acts in ways that are not perceived as loving by his wife, she will most often respond back to him in ways that seem disrespectful. But, when a man does not feel respect he acts without love, and a wife who does not feel love acts without respect, and . . . the cycle goes on forever, creating an ever increasing cycle of strife and craziness.

This description, in many ways, makes sense to me. Regardless of the reality of our own often backward roles and responses, the principle seems to be true. But I am beginning to see a deeper issue than the one that is lying on the surface. To me, there seems to be a better question that needs to be asked and addressed. Why do we respond so negatively to our spouse, or anyone else, when we feel either unloved or disrespected? Why does this bother us so much?

I believe at the root of the issue lies idolatry. I am becoming more convinced all the time that at the root of all sin, all social and relational divisions and pain is idolatry. When we take a something good in our lives -- a thing, a person, a relationship, or idea -- and make it an ultimate thing, it has become an idol. An idol is anything other than God that we place our hope in as our source of joy.

Let look at how this fleshes out. We will frame it in the light of the husband, but the same is true for the wife as well. When a husband thinks too highly of himself, when he considers and values himself as worthy of respect and praise, he is setting himself up as his own god -- his own source of joy. So when his wife "offends" his idol of self he responds harshly because this person is not serving him as he feels and believes he deserves. This, at its core, is sin.

If we had a right view of ourselves we would see that we deserve nothing. We would approach our spouses, our friends, our families, etc, from a position of humbleness and humility. We see this most clearly in the example of Jesus. He, above all others, deserved to be loved and respected and honored. This, though, is the opposite of how he was often treated. Yet, look at how he responded. . .in love, and in service. I am reminded of the picture of Jesus looking over Jerusalem and weeping over them (Luke 19:41). He did not demand respect and/or throw a pity party when he did not receive it. He loved and served people regardless.

I believe the same should be true in the marriage relationship. This should be our example. We need to respond to and to love, honor, and respect our spouses, not to get something from them, but simply because this is how Jesus has loved us.

Scott Avett Tries To Sing, Just A Closer Walk (With Thee)

2011-10-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

This is awesome. (1) I love Scott and his brother's music. (2) I love that Scott is at home with his family. (3) I love how this portrays how funny/challenging having kids can be.

U2's "With or Without You", performed by Kye Kye.

2011-10-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

Here is a little music for your Tuesday soundtrack. Enjoy.

If you say go . . .

2011-10-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we, as Christians, are asked by Jesus to step out and trust him. I am not talking about the simple trust of daily circumstances. I am talking about the times he asks us to step out, in faith, and calls us to act in a way that makes no earthly sense. I am talking about the times when he calls us to step out of the boat into the open water - sometimes even shark infested waters. The times he asks us to trust him and to step into the flames.

I am in one of those times right now. I have stepped out and done what Jesus has asked me to do, and now I beginning to look around me and I am starting to get a little worried. I know that some of you know what it is I am trying to describe. You know what it is to not understand why he has called you to do something, yet you know he has, but regardless, things currently suck.

I know Jesus is good. I know his will for me is good and for his glory. I rest in that. I trust in that. I pray that I will be faithful to him as I try to live in light of that.

In these times I am often drawn back to a song that I have enjoyed listening to, worshiping to, and leading other people in worship to. It is a song called, If You Say Go, by Diane Thiel. I have no big or deep thoughts. I just wanted to write this out - if anything, to simply encourage myself and anyone else feeling as I do right now.

Blessings,
Mikael

If You Say Go

Written by Diane Thiel

           D
If You say go, we will go
           Bm7 G      Asus     A
If You say wait, we will wait
           D
If You say step out on the water
         Bm7             G
And they say it can't be done
      D/F#            G      A       D
We'll fix our eyes on You and we will come

     D        G              D
Your ways are higher than our ways
    Bm                G
And plans that You have laid
             Asus A
Are good and true
       D
If You call us to the fire
          Bm              G
You will not withdraw Your hand
      D             A                   G
We'll gaze into the flames and look for You

© 2002 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing
CCLI# 1596342
Album: If You Say Go

One Week Already!!

2011-09-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

Here's some new pictures of Emma Love...enjoy!

The Birth of Emma Love

2011-09-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

We are all checked in and ready to go.

Graceyn is a proud big sister who is obsessed with her "baybay."

Emma Love Heck

Emma Love's big brothers are so proud, and beyond happy that she is finally here.

Graceyn is so excited that she can barely handle not being the one to hold Emma.

Lil' sister time.

Graceyn is in love with Emma Love!

Graceyn is SO MAD that she is not the one holding her new Emma "BayBay"

Time to head home!

Look at those little feet!

And don't miss her sweet little cloth diaper.

Emma Love is pretty hip for her age.

Pictures of Us

2011-07-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

We have been rather negligent in updating our blog. Life at the Heck house is always busy and crazy (just like we like it, just without the busy and a little less crazy at times). Needless to say, the blog often takes the back burner. So, we figured an interlude of pictures would suffice till we can make more time for a proper update. Here you go.

Lukas @ the Zoo

Wyatt's glazed expression while figuring out how to decorate Easter eggs

Graceyn and Taneesha Darling posing for a quick shot between egg batches

Graceyn enjoying some swing time with Mommy @ Laurelhurst Park

Graceyn and Daddy on the slide @ Laurelhurst Park

Graceyn and Daddy taking a break @ Laurelhurst Park

Graceyn and Taneesha Darling @ the creek in Sandy

All the little Hecks taking a break @ the creek in Sandy

Pretty little Graceyn strutting her stuff in the backyard (Yes, she is walking)

Family portraits in Downtown Portland

The "Beastie Boys" in Downtown Portland

The coolest kids in town

Shy Graceyn in Downtown Portland

Trillium Lake

2011-06-17T20:22:00.001-07:00

Took the guys at work fishing today. Got burned but the view was worth it.

Shallow Small Groups

2011-05-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

With sarcasm and irony this video speaks to a great need within the church today. Enjoy.

7 years ago, today, we

2011-04-15T06:29:00.001-07:00

7 years ago, today, we welcomed our first son, Lukas, into our family. I feel proud and blessed to be his daddy.

2011-03-25T11:28:00.001-07:00

Snowy spring break.

How To Identify Your Idols

2011-03-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been thinking through the reality of the idols in my own life (the good or bad things I set up and enthrone as ultimate things). I have even had the chance to start up discussions with the youth group on identifying the idols in our lives.

That said, I found this little list to be helpful on my journey to expose and destroy/dethrone the idols in my own life. What are the idols in your life? Do you see them here?

David Powlison's list of questions in Seeing With New Eyes are good for a diagnostic test on our lives now and again to help us identify idols.

1. What do I worry about most?

2. What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live?

3. What do I use to comfort myself when things go bad or get difficult?

4. What do I do to cope? What are my release valves? What do I do to feel better?

5. What preoccupies me? What do I daydream about?

6. What makes me feel the most self-worth? Of what am I the proudest? For what do I want to be known?

7. What do I lead with in conversations?

8. Early on what do I want to make sure that people know about me?

9. What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?

10. What do I really want and expect out of life? What would really make me happy?

11. What is my hope for the future?

(Re-posted from here: http://gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-identify-your-idols.html)

World Down Syndrome Day | 3.21

2011-03-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

World Down Syndrome Day takes place on March 21 every year. This date, 3/21, serves as a representation the 3 copies of chromosome 21, which is unique to people with Down syndrome.

Not everyone knows this, but a couple years ago Mikael and I were going to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia who was HIV+. While we were in the process of the adoption we found the site Reece’s Rainbow. Reece’s Rainbow is an International Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry that has successfully promoted the cause of bringing families to children born with Down Syndrome in over 29 countries across the globe. They have expanded their ministry to help orphans with many kinds of special needs find families.

Reece’s Rainbow primarily lists children with Down Syndrome in Eastern Europe and Russia. In Eastern Europe and Russia children born with Down Syndrome are sent to orphanages. At the age of 5-6, if not adopted, the children are moved from the baby orphanages to mental institutions. The conditions in these “mental institutions” are so horrifically bad that 80% of these little ones die within the first year of being transferred in. This is heart breaking.

We are not in a position to adopt right now, yet I pray to God daily to change our circumstances so that we would be able to bring one of these precious children in our family. Until God, gives us the green light to adopt we want to do as much as possible to promote their welfare. So, that is why I am writing this blog post—to shed some light on some of God’s children who have been in the dark for too long.

Please visit Reece's Rainbow for more information on Down Syndrome and orphans in need.

2011-03-06T19:33:00.001-08:00

Lecrae.... Sweet!

2011-03-06T18:09:00.001-08:00

Rock & Worship Roadshow.

Why the Gospel Is Good News for Believers . . . Now

2011-02-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

I came across a great article today in my daily blog reading, Why the Gospel Is Good News for Believers . . . Now. It speaks to the fact that the Gospel is GOOD NEWS, and that if it is not good news to you, than your understanding of the Gospel is way too small. Here is the intro to the article:

If you think the Christian experience is supposed to be characterized by constant discouragement and infrequent victory over sin, your gospel is too small. It’s got a giant hole in it. Right in the middle. It’s a gospel that probably talks a long time about getting into heaven and out of hell or about something you share—or should share—with unbelievers. So, when someone comes along talking about being gospel-centered, you think they’ve got eternity or outreach on their minds, certainly not discipleship. If asked, you’d say the gospel is good news now for believers because of what it did for you back then (justification) and what it will do for you in the future, when you die or Jesus returns (glorification). You wouldn’t have much—anything—to say about sanctification. Again, I’d want to say, you’ve missed something absolutely central to the gospel—something profoundly hopeful. You’ve missed why the gospel is good news for you today, not simply yesterday or tomorrow.

You should follow the link and check it out for yourself. I was challenged and encouraged by reading it. The Gospel is truly GOOD NEWS!

Better Than Life

2011-02-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." — Psalm 63:3 (NIV)

As I read this passage this morning the Holy Spirit opened my eyes a little bit and then sucker-punched me in the proverbial gut. I love it when that happens... don't you? It is my experience - within my own life - that it is very easy to seek and to follow after Jesus as a means to an end rather than as The End. What I mean is this: when I need to feel better in my life, or if I need to feel validated for "living well," I go to Jesus. When I want people to look at me and think to themselves, "gee, he really loves Jesus, he is awesome," I go to Jesus. I go to Jesus like I would go to a magic genie in a bottle (please do not wonder off here into singing a cheesy song... are you back?... good - maybe that was just me). I go to Jesus for what he can give me - success in ministry or life, pride in the way I have chosen to live, blessing, or even heaven and eternal life. This is wrong of me. My orientation is completely backwards. I am an idolater.

In seeing Jesus as merely a giver of blessing or of good things, I am not worshiping him, loving him, giving my life to him for his glory. I am serving myself. I have, in those moments, made myself and my glory and my comfort and my joy the main thing. Jesus, instead of being worshiped and adored for who he is and for the great love and grace he has shown to me, is being used. This is idolatry. I have set myself up as my own god. I have dethroned Jesus and have tried to use him as a tool for my glorification.

Praise Jesus that he is gracious and merciful towards us! Praise him that, though he alone is King and worthy of worship, and I have committed high treason against him and have chosen to my self and seek out my own glory instead of his, he still chose to die for me...to forgive me...and not just take away and forget my sin, but to adopt me as his son! This is outrages! This is crazy!

We do not serve and follow Jesus for what he can give us! We do not serve Jesus so we can have a better life! He is better than life. Jesus is better than the blessings he gives! Let us not be like ungrateful and selfish children and go to Jesus for his stuff. How would you feel as a parent or a friend or a lover if your child or friend or lover did not love you for you, but instead only came to you in order to get to and use your stuff? That is not love. That is not friendship. That is hatred, and it is sickening. Let us, then, not seek after Jesus in this way. I say this for myself as much as I would to any other person. Jesus alone is worthy our heart's desires and affections. So let us repent of our idolatry and seek after Jesus, who is better than life.

"How Does Worship Transform Us?"

2011-02-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

I am a musician. Even more so, I am a musician whose job is to lead the church in corporate musical worship -- I am a "worship leader." As such, I am keenly aware of the general understanding within the Western Church of what it means for one to worship. For many, worship is nothing more than the song one sings on a Sunday morning before a pastor stands up to teach what the Bible says about a given topic. There is just one problem with this understanding of worship, namely the Bible.

The Bible teaches us that we are all worshipers. In fact, we were born worshiping. The problem lies with where or to whom our worship is directed. We have two choices; we can worship the Creator God, or we can worship the creation. Even still, worship is more than all of this! Worship, or more clearly misdirected worship (otherwise known as idolatry), is the root cause of all sin for all people.

I could go on and try to explain this concept to you, but I will not. Instead I am linking to an article that I want you to read on the subject (How Does Worship Transform Us?). It is a post by Mark Driscoll in which he much more eloquently and fully explains what I am trying to get across. Please, read it. It is worth the 3 minutes it will take you to read it. Let me know what you think. I would love to hear your thoughts in response to the article.

Sacred Brother | By Ryan Delmore

2011-01-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

My friend, Ryan Delmore, has put out, yet another, great song. The song is called "Sacred Brother." Take a listen and be blessed. The Lyrics are posted at the bottom so you can follow along.

Follow the link to find more music by Ryan Delmore and other artists.

SACRED BROTHER
BY RYAN DELMORE & DONOVAN LORENZEN

Sacred brother, friend like no other
By Your blood I am saved
Hem and mend me, wash and cleanse me
So I’m never the same

And I know that
You are always with me
Lord, I know that
You are always with me until the end

Precious Savior, no love is greater than Your death on the cross
But You have risen, and You have given
The hope of heaven to us

‘Cause You are faithful
You are faithful
You are faithful ‘till the end

CCLI#5865431
©2010 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing (ASCAP).
Admin. worldwide by Vineyard Music. www.vineyardmusic.com
All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. Used By Permission.
Bringing The World To Life - Club Vineyard Vol. 72 (CVD-700181)

The Punks

2011-01-27T10:33:00.001-08:00

This was taken around Christmas time.

Wyatt in the Word

2011-01-24T18:00:00.001-08:00

Wyatt loves to sit in our laps and read his Bible.
Oh, and his glasses are pretty sweet too.

Planting Churches In Smaller Communities

2011-01-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

This testimonial really hit home for me and has encouraged me. This is a video interview with Patrick Bowler, pastor of Valley Life Church in Lebanon, Oregon. Bowler is working in a church within a smaller, more rural community. This speaks a lot to where I am at in Sandy, and has encouraged me that I am a part of an important work for Jesus. I am encouraged to press on all the more. Watch and enjoy:

Happy Hump Day

2011-01-19T09:16:00.001-08:00

We're half-way through the week. What have you done to show Jesus so far? It's not too late to live on mission for Him today.

The Church

2011-01-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

"The Church exists for no other purpose but to draw men into Christ. . . If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other reason."

-- C.S. Lewis

The Final Lap

2011-01-13T13:40:00.000-08:00

Today the family drive into Portland so that I could register for my final semester of classes. This was crazy for me. I just registered for the last four classes of my undergraduate degree. This is what we moved to Oregon for. I am stoked on this.

We started this journey in July of 2005. It was just Taneesha, our little one-year-old Lukas, me, and a hope for a future of serving Jesus in a real and tangible way. It is now over five years, and three kids, later and the end (the blessed end) is finally in view. This is the final lap and I can see the finish line ahead of me. This has been a long and hard, yet overwhelmingly fruitful and good road.

I also, though, recognize that this is merely one leg of the journey coming to a close. So much more lies ahead for the Heck family. So much more is still yet to be accomplished by our Sovereign and Beautiful Savior, both through us and in us. We do not know what exactly the future holds (more school, more ministry, more kids?), but we know that Jesus does, and it is him that we are striving to follow after. It is him that we are striving to be made known. It is him we adore and hope to show beautiful and worthy of worship. Pray for us, if you would, as we continue on and begin to move into the next part of the journey.

Lord... we continue on.... lead us... we will follow.

Life On Mission

2011-01-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

I came across these clips today from the Acts 29 Network. I would encourage you, if you are interested in living in a way that shows and tells the Gospel, check these out. They are short, but they are powerful. It is my prayer that I could be a part of a community of believers with this kind of heart and passion for Christ to be made shown and known.

Life on Mission from Acts 29 Network on Vimeo.

Being on Mission Together from Acts 29 Network on Vimeo.

How to Share Your Faith from Acts 29 Network on Vimeo.

A Life That Needs Gospel Explanation from Acts 29 Network on Vimeo.

Black Boss Porter | A New Favorite

2011-01-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

I stopped by The Beer Den LLC the other day to see Dennis and see what was new. The Beer Den is a local craft beer shop in Sandy, Oregon. Dennis, the owner, had just gotten in a few new porters for the Den. If you don;t know, porters are one of my favorites. He pointed me to this new import from Poland. It is called Black Boss Porter, and it is amazing. It is rich, smoky, malty, and has a warm molasses finish. If you are a dark drinker, especially if you like porters, you need to try this stuff out.

I love the GOSPEL

2011-01-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

"Moralism’s Cruel Stick and Carrot." This is a good read, from Matt Johnson over at the Resurgence, on the difference between moralism and Gospel.

http://theresurgence.com/2011/01/01/moralisms-cruel-stick-and-carrot

2010-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

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Am I A Legalist?

2010-12-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

This is a reflection on an article posted on the Resurgence blog, by Mike Anderson. You can read the article for yourself (and I encourage you to do so) here:

http://theresurgence.com/2010/12/28/i-just-need-to-give-myself-grace

A Quick Look
There were many points within this article that I found to be very poignant, true that need to be heard by all of us - whether we know these truths, have forgotten these truths, or need to experience them for the first time. There is one point, though, that I feel needs to be considered and grasped as we enter into this new year. I will quote it here since it was said well originally.

"Some people make daily Bible reading into law. They feel justified and holy when they read, but guilty when they don’t. This is messed up because the point of reading the Bible is to draw closer to God, to love him more, understand him better, and have your heart transformed—but it’s easy to take the gift of the Bible and turn it into a burden. It only becomes a burden when you use reading the Bible or any other new law that you create to make you feel righteous, instead of understanding that you are only made righteous by Christ."

A New Year

As we enter into this new year many of us will begin or annual renewal of a vow to read the whole Bible within the year. We will find a reading program that seems easy enough for us. We may even recruit a few friends to join us on the journey. But, sad to say, the majority of us will probably do well for a few weeks, even a month or more, then will reach the latter part of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) and will give up our noble quest all together.

My "New Law"

I hope I am not alone in what I am about to say, but if I am so be it. Whenever I have committed myself to this task, of reading through the Bible in a year (or in any set amount of time) and have failed, I begin to feel an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame, as if I have sinned against God, himself. This is absurd of me and only shows my own ignorance and idolatry.

Instead of pursuing the Bible to know, to love, and to worship Jesus better, I have created for myself a "new law." A law that is not from God, but from ourselves (or perhaps even well-meaning leaders or friends within the church - other legalists). Yes, it is good and right for us to read the Bible. Yes, I should read and know it all. But, to feel guilt and shame for not doing it in the manner that I have set out for myself is wrong - even sinful perhaps.

Why Do I Say All This?

I say all of this because I want to encourage us, myself included, to be careful not to set up for ourselves any new law this year that would turn our heart and our worship away from Jesus towards anything or anyone else. I am encouraging us to strive harder in our pursuit of knowing God's Word. I am encouraging us to be intentional in our reading and studying it. Yet, in that, let us not allow our own ideas and intentions to create a self-justifying law for ourselves. Yes, there will be some of us who will accomplish the task of reading through the Bible, and yes there will be some of us who will not. My prayer is that those of us who do accomplish it will not justify and worship ourselves for doing so, and that those of us who do not will not allow ourselves to be ruled by our pride or failures and to feel guilt that has not been rightfully placed on us by God.

Now What?
So, read your Bible! Read it well! But, may that lead us on to further repentance, knowledge, love and worship, rather than pride, idolatry, guilt or shame.

It's a'snowin!

2010-12-26T14:18:00.001-08:00

It's a'snowin!

A Christmas Reflection

2010-12-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

So [the shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby [Jesus], who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

— Luke 2:16-20 (NIV) (emphasis mine)

The other night I was sharing this passage at the FBC Youth's Crazy Ugly Sweater Christmas Party. I have read, or heard, this passage what seems to be a hundred times or more. Yet, as it often is when we come to the living and active Word, something new stuck out to me. I have heard Mary's response pointed out many times - how she cherished , or pondered, these things in her heart...and the like. But, what stood out to me this time was the response of the shepherds. I believe their response is the one that should be the norm for those who encounter the Word of God and the Living God, Himself - Jesus!

The story shows the shepherds in the fields and the angels appearing with the glory and spender of heaven (I am seeing Revelation 4 here, or the passages from Isaiah or Ezekiel). The angels comfort them and tell them the good news of what has taken place that night. After encountering the word about Jesus they went and experienced the living Jesus for themselves. After, then, experiencing Jesus, God, the Savior of the world, the Messiah, they went away... glorifying God... and proclaiming what they had seen and heard to all the came into contact with.

This is the way it should be for all of us who have come into contact with Jesus, the living God! We have all heard of him... but then, when you meet him and experience him, for real, you cannot help but glorify God and tell everyone of the GOOD NEWS you have seen and heard!

I know what I desire my response to be. Often times it is not what it ought to be. This is not because Jesus isn't there and deserving of my awe and worship. It is, all too often, because I am simply not paying attention and truly gazing upon the glory and splendor of my Savior. I do not want to go through the motions of faith. I want to encounter and to know Jesus! I pray that this Christmas you will not be satisfied with merely hearing about Jesus. I pray that you will truly encounter and know Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T11:47:00.000-08:00

Check out this little video. And have yourself a merry little Christmas!

New Domain...

2010-12-24T15:14:00.000-08:00

Our blog can now be found at: www.RaisingHeck.com
...see you soon.

2010-12-11T11:22:00.001-08:00

Just a little nap...

The Franz Family

2010-11-30T13:02:00.000-08:00

As I was reading blogs this morning I stumbled on to something amazing. What I found was The Franz Family. The Franz Family is a group of six that is an amazing, God-fearing, Gospel-proclaiming musicians. The family (four children and their parents) have been playing and recording gospel and bluegrass music together for about 15 years. This is an amazing family. I encourage you to check out their music, check out their message, and spread the word about them. This family is painting and singing an amazing picture of the Gospel for all to see. Enjoy these videos, the first of which is a Christmas tune, the last of which is an instrumental recorded at their home in Arkansas. I think my favorite is the third, "God's Unchanging Hand."

Again... you should take the time to check them out.

Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel by The Franz Family // Canon 5D Mark II from ColdWater Media on Vimeo.

"Somewhere in Glory" - The Franz Family, Live (Canon 5Dmk2) from ColdWater Media on Vimeo.

"God's Unchanging Hand" - The Franz Family, Live (Canon 5DmkII) from ColdWater Media on Vimeo.

"Peace of Mind" - The Franz Family, Live (Canon 5DmkII) from ColdWater Media on Vimeo.

The Franz Family : "Unorthodoxology" from The Free Road Scholars on Vimeo.

Check out The Franz Family website here ---> http://www.thefranzfamily.com/

IN-N-OUT

2010-11-22T13:30:00.001-08:00

Oh, yes. Five years is too long!

Home for the Holiday...

2010-11-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

It is good to be home. Home in the sense that this will always, no matter where I am in the world, feel like home to me. My heart is torn in this--truly. How do I reconcile within myself this strong desire to be here with family, and old friends, and yet have the knowledge that Jesus has lead us and has us where we are for his purposes for the present time. This can be a hard reality for me at times. I will be honest about that.

At times it is even a great battle within me. I feel, at times, that I have been bamboozled by Jesus. But, then I remember something that gives me comfort. Jesus. Yes, Jesus. I am sure that he felt "at home" and happy to be in heaven, in the presence of "family and friends." I believe, in as little as I am able to understand, that I have an idea of what a great sacrifice that this truly was for him. Jesus gave up everything to come here, to us, to this place, this dung heap of a fallen world, by far not his ideal I am sure, not his home, for us, because of his love, so we might have even the chance to be made right with him. This is a truth that is, for me, hard to bare. Not only did he do this for us--for me--he did it with joy. In Philippians Paul writes that he did not do this begrudgingly, he did it with joy! This amazes me!

I pray that my heart would be as his. I pray that my selfishness and self-absorbedness would be defeated as I let the reality of what Jesus did and what he sacrificed for me sink in to my soul. Jesus, thank you. Thank you!

Hump

2010-11-17T09:12:00.001-08:00

Happy Hump Day.

Name change....

2010-11-15T20:44:00.001-08:00

We are changing the name of the blog.... I am not going to change the location just yet. But, that may come in the future.

Come one, come all...

2010-11-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

(For promo use: click the image to see the full resolution original)

2010-11-01T15:29:00.001-07:00

Last night, Eli sees a skeleton laying at a grave with an axe in its head. Very solemnly he looks at us and says, 'Poor little skulleten. Someone broke him all up poor guy.' -kids!

HallowDaze!

2010-10-29T16:35:00.001-07:00

Thanks for your prayers. It was a lot better than last year's ride. Here's a picture of principal Lincoln, just for the fun of it. Maltman is great.

I've got mail!

2010-10-26T10:49:00.001-07:00

I love getting new books in the mail.

Back?

2010-10-25T20:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a random picture of Eli.
He had his face painted at Oktoberfest this year.

It has been a long while since I have written anything on here. I, Mikael, am alive...and so is the family. Our life is extremely busy as always... It seems that I have a lot of other avenues to share my thoughts and this blog tends to take the back burner.

I should, though, be sharing my (our) thoughts more often. It seems this last year or so has brought so much change, and so many things have been learned, and so many things are still left undone.

Anyway, I am back and am thinking of using this blog, once again, as a place to process some thoughts on faith, life, theology, family, etc. We will see how that works out. For now....this is hello.

The Epic History of Hip-Hop

2010-10-02T15:32:00.001-07:00

What is the Bible About?

2010-08-23T07:58:00.001-07:00

"Awesomeness-Driven Church"

2010-08-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

I have come across a common theme in some articles I have read lately. I would love to hear your thoughts on these articles. Perhaps we, as the church, should be rethinking a few things.

Here are the articles:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111704575355311122648100.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

http://gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com/2010/08/awesomeness-driven-church.html

http://gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-im-against-awesomeness-driven.html

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2010/08/12/teens-pizza-no-longer-enough/

A morning walk...

2010-08-14T09:45:00.001-07:00

Having sweet morning with the four punks. A walk & doughnuts & the park.

Sinner

2010-07-31T11:08:00.001-07:00

Here is Taneesha in the back of a cop car. Sinner.

Forgiven Much

2010-07-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

I am grateful that Jesus' forgiveness is so much greater than my own. I am in counseling class right now and talking about guilt and such and have been reminded of the amazing grace and forgiveness of Jesus.

Just got some hard news

2010-07-15T12:16:00.001-07:00

Just got some hard news from the Merrick family. If you aren't praying yet-now would be the time to start. See BrittMerrick.com

Word Verification...

2010-07-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

I always hated it when people had to do the word verification to comment but last night I received 250 spam comments. I had gotten as much as 3 in one day... but this is just retarded!

So, if you ever comment on this thing (which not many do anyway) you now have to go through the verification process. Sorry.

Pray for Daisy Love...

2010-07-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Please be praying for Britt Merrick's daughter, Daisy Love, age 6. After three months her cancer is back and the tumor is huge. They are in the ER now! Please be praying!

Crazy Zoo Keeper Mullet

2010-07-10T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Voyage....

2010-07-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

I seriously CANNOT wait for this! The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is my favorite of the Chronicles of Narnia. I hope they are able to pull it off. I will be more than disappointed if they don't.

The Punks and Their Bule Eyes

2010-07-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

I love these little punks. Here is a few pictures for you to enjoy. I have posted a lot more on my Facebook Page if you would like to see more of them. Enjoy!

Graceyn Rae:
She is too cute. This makes me nervous for the future.
I am afraid she may have some sort of crazy power over me.

Wyatt Cash:
Cute as can be... and Punk to the core.

Eli McCoy:
Too cute for his own good. He is lucky he is cute...
...he would get away with far less if this were otherwise.

Lukas Scott:
The oldest Punk. He is a huge help to us. He is a great little guy to have around.
The blue you see on the bottom right is his cast for his broken arm. Poor guy.

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

2010-06-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

I watched this movie last night, "Lord, Save Us For Your Followers." I enjoyed it. Anyone seen it? What did you think?

Lukas' Arm...

2010-06-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

Yep. It's broken.
He is a trooper though.
He's awesome.

Well... It looks like Lukas

2010-06-27T13:06:00.001-07:00

Well... It looks like Lukas might've busted his arm last night. Just waiting to get x-rayed. More to come.

Keeping up

2010-05-16T22:51:00.000-07:00

So far Taneesha is kicking butt in our life change pursuit. I know that this has mostly to do with the fact that I have a family of six with a wife that needs a break from time to time because I work two jobs and am a full-time student at Multnomah University. Needless to say, I am gone a bit, so, when I am home, I try as best I can to let T get out of the house to go for her run.

I need to get my act together. See, I don't remember if I said this yet, but we are competing to see who can get in shape the fastest--sort of like our own personal Biggest Loser challenge. I was doing a lot better before I got sick...twice, but that is just me justifying my fat self. I starting riding a bike to work but the seat about killed me! It was, and still is, the most uncomfortable thing I have ever tried to sit on in my life... SERIOUSLY! Okay...I feel better now. And yes...I am a pansy who needs to bust a move.... and go to bed. Sheesh, it is late and I need sleep. Goodnight.

Couch to 5k

2010-05-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

We have decided that it is time to get ourselves into shape. Many Things have led us to this, and we are in a good place to make this happen. To help us out we have started a program of sorts called, Couch to 5k. It is a 9 week program that gets you from nothing to running a 5k in 9 weeks. We are excited about this.

Because of the nature of this life change we will be talking about this in the future I am sure. So, this is just a heads up.

Random Pics

2010-04-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

More Pictures of Graceyn

2010-03-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

Graceyn Rae: A Photo Update.

2010-03-21T20:57:00.000-07:00

More will come. For now... pictures will have to do. Bless you and thank you ALL for your prayers and your blessings on us.

Graceyn Rae is HERE

2010-03-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Graceyn Rae Heck was 20 inches long and weighed 7 pounds 15 ounces. Mom + baby are doing well.

Avila Family: Robert Pattinson is stealing our (women)

2010-03-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

I found this funny. My wife and I care nothing about the Twilight series, yet I know many who do. This, I think, is a funny response to it, and a reminder at how feeble and waning celebrity is.
Avila Family: Robert Pattinson is stealing our (Women)

5 More Days...

2010-03-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

Five more days (give or take) till our daughter comes into this world. I am excited + anxious + ready. Be praying for T as she comes to the end of this, and for me as I am finishing up a Science class. She needs the extra dose of Grace, and I simply need time. We will keep you updated when things start to happen.

Bless you guys.

Guinness, the Christian Beer.

2010-03-11T13:07:00.000-08:00

Guinness, the CHRISTIAN beer. I found the article below to be pretty sweet. I don not need much help in my love for all things Irish, but this, I believe, makes my love secure. Read it and share in my love for the Irish and for great beer.

Guinness brewer's faith provides inspiration | tennessean.com | The Tennessean
Former pastor Stephen Mansfield, known for his best-sellers on religion and politics, takes on the subject of an Irish brewer in his new book. Christian values were key to the Guinness family's success, ...(read more)

New Header/Look

2010-02-26T16:48:00.000-08:00

For those of you who follow this blog from their feed reader, you should check out our new blog header and look. Blessings on you all.

Lukas + Me @ Skate World

2010-02-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

So, last night Lukas and I met some of the FBC//YOUTH kids at Skate World (a local roller rink). The original plan was for us all to go bowling but, do to the fact that the alleys were all booked with league bowlers, we went to Skate World instead. We had a great time, even though one of our students fell and busted her arm and had to go home early (poor Lena).

The highlight of the night, though, was when they turned the lights down low and started playing Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing'. There is something about Journey and that song--when it plays (especially at a roller rink) magic happens. Within the frame of that one song, when the lights dimmed, little Lukas became a chick magnet. First, a really cute little girl from our church went over to him and skated with him for a while. I took a picture and thought it was awesome. But then I look over again and there is some new (completely random) little girl holding Lukas' hand and they are skating around together. It may be silly to say it, but I felt proud of my boy in that moment. It still makes me laugh just thinking about it. If you know Lukas, you know he is a fairly shy little guy and would never dream of asking some girl to skate with him. Yet, you put on Journey at the roller rink and the girls, they just come a flockin' to him... like magic.

So, in the end, we had a blast, Lukas and me, at the rink. I plan on making this a family tradition. I know Lukas loves it.

Picturness

2010-02-24T12:23:00.000-08:00

Picturness

2010-02-24T12:18:00.000-08:00

T's 29th birthday extraviganza.

Picturness

2010-02-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

A little late... only from Christmas.

Random Pictures

2010-02-24T12:12:00.000-08:00

I love these little punks!

Quote for Thought

2010-02-09T18:11:00.001-08:00

"Dandelions will grow without cultivation, but love must be cultivated."
+AW Tozer

Quote for Thought

2010-02-09T18:10:00.001-08:00

"Faith is not a once-done act, but a continuous gaze of the heart at the Triune God."
AW Tozer (The Pursuit of God)

Quote for Thought

2010-02-09T18:09:00.003-08:00

"The least of mercies are not deserved by the best of sinners." -John Bunyan

Quote for Thought

2010-02-09T18:09:00.001-08:00

"Just because I, finite man, don't understand everything that God, the infinite, does is no reason to doubt God's purpose." AW Tozer

Quote for Thought

2010-02-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

"The only safe thing to do is to surrender to the power of the Gospel. Surrender to the words of Jesus for your life." AW Tozer

Quote for Thought

2010-01-27T09:50:00.000-08:00

“Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.”
@John Wesley (via+ Joel Hickenbottom)